Regency (1914-1915)

by Jaume Ollé

In September 1914, under the auspices of the International
Commission, and under the flags of the Powers, a Regency government
was constituted in Vlorë. Since no decision had been taken
regarding the flag, the flag of May 1914 remained official but wasn't
used. The flag used was the red one with double-headed eagle. The
image above is a reconstruction of this de facto flag.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

Essad's provisional government (1915)

by Jorge
Candeias after Jaume Ollé's original

Essad, however, returned to
Albania and, with the help of Serbia, occupied Durrës and
reconquered Tirana and Central Albania, forming a new government,
which again used the flag without eagle, showing the Muslim
preponderance (April 1915). This flag was adopted as the official
flag of Albania by Essad's provisional government, following a
decision of the Albanian Senate. The German ambassador was informed
of this decision on 21 April 1915. Essad called himself in this note
President of Albania and General Commander-in-Chief.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

Military occupation (fall 1915-1917)

by Jaume Ollé

In autum, 1915, Austro-Hungarian troops occupied Northern and
Central Albania and suppressed the Albanian government of Tirana,
while Essad ran away to Greece. Only the Regency government in
Vlorë survived, but Vlorë was finally also occupied by
Italy in November 1916. The country got, therefore, under the flags
of the powers: Austria-Hungary (North and Center) and Italy
(Vlorë region and South of the country). France also controlled
some areas in Southern Albania.

Since then, the Albanian flag was used by the guerilla led by
Bairam Tsuri. The model of the image shown above comes from the post
stamps released by the Provisional Control Comission in Koritza. The
flag was probably in use from September 1914 to 1916, and was further
used by Tsuri until 1918.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

Republic under Italian control (1917)

by Jaume
Ollé

In Autumn 1915 the Austro-Hungarians occupied north and central
Albania and suppressed the Albanian government of Tirana. Italy,
which controlled the South of Albania and Vlorë decided to set
up an Albanian Republic under Italian protection. This republic was
proclaimed on 23 June 1917, adopting officially the red flag with
black eagle. The precise design is not known, so the image above is a
reconstruction.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

Republic of Korçë (1917-1918)

by Jaume
Ollé

The French entered Korçë on 29 November 1916. On 10
December 1916, by order of the French General Sarrail, a protocol
was signed between the French Colonel Descoins and a group of
Albanian representatives. A local government composed of 12 members
was appointed and was granted many legislative powers. Themistokli
Gërmenji was the head of executive power with the title of
Prefect of police.

Korcë was thus awarded the statute of "autonomous province".
The Skanderbeg flag was approved together with the tricolor ribbon
and used in the city hall.

On 23 June 1917, Italy proclaimed the independence of Albania
under her protectorship, justifying it with the French precedent in
Korcë. Austria-Hungary had done it before on 3 January 1917.

The French government, which had decided to keep good relations
with its Greek and Italian allies, disowned the decisions taken by
the Eastern Army. Themistokli was charged with intelligence with the
Bulgars and Austro-Hungarians against the French, judged summarily by
the Council of War of the Eastern Army, headed by General Sarrail,
and executed on 9 November 1917.

On 16 February 1918, the protocol was formally suppressed.
Korçë was given the statute of territory (Quarku i
Korçës) and from then governed by the French; The
council of 12 members was given a simple advisory capacity. Following
this, the Skanderbeg flag was forbidden, and the French flag used
instead.

Albanian Central troops entered Korçë on 26 May 1920
following an agreement with the French and the last French troops
left on 29 May.
However, the French influence remained strong in Korçë
and the French Secondary School, founded in 1917, remained active
until the Second World War (in 1992, the building was still standing
but closed and in a rather bad state). Its most famous student and
later French teacher was Enver Hoxha, the futur ruler of the country
between 1944 and 1985. There is also a French war cemetery in
Korçë.

Korçë was also one of the main centers of the Albanian
Rilindja (Rebirth), 1840-1912, and the first Albanian school
was founded there in 1887, followed by a similar school for girls in
1891, despite the violent opposition of Turkish fanatics, who
murdered several of the first teachers. The school was transformed in
a very touching Education Museum.

The denomination of Republic of Korçë (Republika
Shqipëtare e Korçës) was neither allowed nor
forbidden by the French and is shown on stamps and banknotes issued
there (almost certainly after the Italian proclamation). The first
issues had the denomination Shqipërise Vetqeveritare -
Korçë.
As it can be expected, these stamps show the Albanian double-headed
eagle. On some of these stamps, the second V of Vetqeveritare
was printed upside down and looks like a Capital Greek Gamma letter.

Paulo Lago & Ivan Sache, 3 May 2001

TheFlag Bulletin
[tfb] shows the dates of 14
October 1917 and 10 December 1918 as the start and end of this
Republic. Flag Fax[flx] # 6 FM
082 series A shows that a ribbon with the colours of the French flag
was attached to the flag. The eagle was there drawn similarly to the
current Albanian eagle. However, the eagle used in Korçë
appears in a stamp released in 1917, and was used as the base of the
image above.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

Regency (1918-1920)

by Jaume Ollé

When the war ended, Italy installed in its occupation area a
provisional government led by Turchan Baja, as a provisional
government of Regency (for a possible sovereign to be appointed).
This governemnt officially adopted the red flag with double-headed
eagle, but the shape of the eagle changed several times. France
delivered Korçë and its occupation area to this
government at May 1920. The image above shows the eagle as used in
1918-20.